But Beijing dismissed the review as "presumptuous speculation", saying China had strictly followed a "no first use" policy - meaning it would not use nuclear weapons unless it was attacked with them - and had been "always extremely restrained" in its nuclear weapons development.

The U.S. Department of Defense said its nuclear strategy seeks to "prevent Beijing from mistakenly concluding" it could gain regional territorial advantage by using its nuclear weapons.

This isn't the first time that China has used the Cold War label to denounce USA policy.

President Donald Trump's nuclear doctrine breaks with his predecessor, Barack Obama, by ending a push to reduce the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. military policy.

Gabriel was responding to a so-called Nuclear Posture Review released Friday by the Pentagon that details the USA military's vision of nuclear threats and its response in the coming decades.

The comprehensive review of nuclear policy does not foresee a increase in the arsenal of strategic atomic weapons of the United States, a position that contrasts with the one Trump propounded in a tweet shortly before assuming the presidency, that the country "must reinforce and expand considerably its nuclear capacity until the world returns to reason against atomic weapons". The threat from North Korea and the uncertainty surrounding Iran are also major driving factors mentioned by the NPR.

Pompeo said that China's efforts to exert covert influence over the West are just as concerning as Russian subversion and also added that the Chinese "have a much bigger footprint" to do this than the Russians do.

On Friday, the U.S. released its nuclear posture review which paves the way for modernization and expansion of U.S. nuclear capabilities.

The latest Nuclear Posture Review published by the Pentagon called for a larger arsenal of smaller, low-yield nuclear weapons to act as a more "credible" deterrent to threats, particularly from Russian Federation.

Soon after, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he was "disappointed" by the document for its "confrontational and anti-Russian character", while Iran claimed US policy would bring the world "closer to annihilation". A year ago it said that Washington's defense strategy tied to "outdated notions".

"We, of course, will have to take into account the approach enacted now in Washington and to take the needed measures to secure our own safety", the ministry said.